It is 18 cm long and is bright green overall, with red cheeks, throat and thighs.

Ten specimens were collected in 1923, but it was last recorded in 1993, although it may also have been seen on Mount Tomanivi on Viti Levu in 2001.

A search of Viti Levu in 2001-2 failed to find any birds, as did a second series of surveys in 2003.

It is known as the Kulawai in Fiji and is the bird found on the Fijian $5 bills.

It was moved to the genus Vini based on a molecular phylogenetic study of the lorikeets published in 2020.